Author Terry Pratchett has Alzheimer's

[jefflovestone]

Author Terry Pratchett has Alzheimer's

By RAPHAEL G. SATTER, Associated Press Writer
35 minutes ago

LONDON - Best-selling fantasy author Terry Pratchett has been diagnosed with a rare form of early onset Alzheimer's, he said in a message posted to his illustrator's Web site.

In a brief note to fans entitled "An Embuggerance," Pratchett, 59, said he was taking the news "fairly philosophically" and "possibly with a mild optimism."

"I would have liked to keep this one quiet for a little while, but because of upcoming conventions and of course the need to keep my publishers informed, it seems to me unfair to withhold the news," he wrote on the Web site of Paul Kidby, who has illustrated many of his books.

Pratchett is best known for his Discworld series, which explores the residents of very flat, very weird and almost invariably hilarious planet dominated by the sprawling, chaotic city of Ankh-Morpork. Pratchett wrote his first Discworld novel, "The Color of Magic," in 1983, and 35 more books followed, many of which topped the best seller charts.

Pratchett's Web site said his novels have sold more than 45 million copies and have been translated into 33 languages worldwide.

His latest work, "Making Money," was published in September and Harper Children's was due publish a non-Discworld novel, "Nation," in 2008.

Pratchett said he would continue completing "Nation" and that he had already begun working on "Unseen Academicals" — another writing project.

"Frankly, I would prefer it if people kept things cheerful, because I think there's time for at least a few more books yet )" he wrote in his message. "I know it's a very human thing to say 'Is there anything I can do,' but in this case I would only entertain offers from very high-end experts in brain chemistry."

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Terrible news.

 

[sonofajoiner]

Just read it on BBC site. Very, very sad news. And all the more terrible for someone with such a fantastic imagination.

 

[GNC]

It's a real tragedy that such an agile mind is now being eroded. Terrible disease.

 

[Yithian]

Bugger doesn't even begin to cover it.

 

[OneWingedBird]

 

[Stormkhan]

I've had the pleasure and privilege to meet Terry on several occasions, have a drink with him, chat etc. He is a marvelously witty bloke and incredibly perceptive. This condition is a terrible thing for anyone to suffer but, somehow, it makes it worse considering Pratchett's imagination and talent. Perhaps it brings home all the lost potential of other, less famous, sufferers.

 

[Ravenstone]

It is indeed awful, tragic, news. :cry:

 

[PeniG]

Bugrit! Millenium hand and shrimp!

Which may sound facetious, but don't you think it's a remark he'll apply himself sooner or later?

This disease sucks whoever it happens to. Looking at the stack of books he's written, though, I reflect that it would be even more tragic had he spent much of his life putting off writing in order to do more profitable and respectable things that he liked doing less, and this disease had hit when he was finally settling in with his word processor. I hope everyone who hears this news will reflect on the vagaries of mortality and do what's important to them now rather than putting it off any longer.

 

[Ravenstone]

That's a good lesson for life.

 

[Stormkhan]

And one often told and more often ignored. Trite, one might say.